Tuesday (Timeless Series #2) (25 page)

***

Marie’s wedding was just days away. The pressure and stress started to kick in.

“Okay, I need to get the photo album—”

“Got it.” I took care of that weeks ago.

Marie went down the list. “I need to tell the DJ the music we’re having at cocktail hour.”

“Took care of that too.”

Her eyes were glued to the paper. “Shit, I forgot—”

“I got your something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue.”

She finally put the list down. “You’re the maid of honor of the year, you know that?”

“I do.” I wasn’t going to be humble about it. I was at Marie’s beck and call and did everything she asked. Actually, I did things without her asking.

“What about the cake?”

“What about it?” I asked incredulously. “Marie, your cake will be perfect. Don’t give it a second thought.”

“But you already have so many things going on—”

“Girl, this is what I do best. Shut up and chill.”

She smiled. “You’ve made this so easy on me. I’m so glad you shared this experience with me.”

“I’m honored to be by your side, Marie.”

“And I’m so relieved I’m not getting crazy in-laws.”

“Are you sure about that?” I asked with a smirk.

“You’re crazy, Frankie. But in a good way. So, how’s it going with Hawke?”

“Perfect.” There was no other way to describe it.

“You guys are still living in a fairytale?”

“It’s like we picked up where we left off…but better.” Because I knew this would end happily. He wouldn’t take off and leave me again. He wouldn’t hurt me again. Like he said, we were forever.

***

I wanted to do something reckless—with Hawke.

I was head-over-heels, so happy it should be illegal, type of in love. Hawke and I spent time together every night after work. We would stay at his place or mine, and we cuddled on the couch and stared into each other’s eyes. Sometimes, we didn’t say anything at all and just communicated with a simple look.

Just the other night, Hawke grabbed my hand and kissed every knuckle while he held my gaze. The touch was innocent, but it made me hotter than I’d ever been before. With him, I was whole. With him, I was home.

But I wanted to do something adventurous and crazy. We’d been taking things slow ever since we got back together. Hawke was always gentle with me, and when he made love to me, it always felt like the first time.

But now I wanted something more.

I stepped onto Hawke’s floor and walked past the secretary. She raised an eyebrow like she wanted to say something to me, but when she recognized who I was, she let me pass.

When I reached his assistant’s desk, she didn’t say a word to me. Judging the frown on her face, she wasn’t happy that I was Hawke’s girlfriend. Come to think of it, I didn’t think any single woman was.

I knocked on his door.

“Come in,” he said with an indifferent voice.

When I walked inside, he was typing on his iPad. He didn’t look up at me, like he thought I was his assistant or someone else who didn’t matter.

“What’s up?” He raised an eyebrow but kept typing.

I walked further into the room then undid my trench coat. I wore nothing underneath except black lingerie. It wasn’t something I would normally do, but I wanted to surprise Hawke.

When I didn’t say anything, he looked up. He almost did a double take, like he couldn’t believe I was standing in front of him—in lingerie. His fingers slipped and he dropped the iPad on the desk. “Francesca…” He stared at me with greed and swallowed the lump in his throat.

Trying to keep my confidence, I walked around the desk and kneeled at his feet.

He looked down at me, more surprised than ever.

I undid the top of his pants and pulled his dick out. It was long and hard.

He stared at me without saying a word.

I tossed my trench coat aside then licked the tip of his cock.

He took an involuntary breath and moaned.

Slowly, I licked the shaft and sucked the tip. Then I massaged his balls before I shoved him deep into my throat. I gave him the best head I was capable of giving, and soon, he was digging his hand in my hair and moaning uncontrollably. He flexed his hips and moved himself further inside me, gripping my hair by the scalp. “Francesca…”

I controlled my gag reflex and took it like a soldier. He was thick and long, and his size was intimidating. But he did so much for me, and I wanted to do something for him.

“Muffin, I’m about to come.” He moved his hand to my neck.

I pulled my mouth away briefly. “Then come.” I inserted him back into my mouth and watched him as I moved up and down. My hand gently rubbed his sack, something I knew he loved.

“Fuck.” He did a few more pumps before he exploded inside my mouth. He watched my face as he filled me, his eyes burning in desire. He squirted a few times before he finished. He leaned back into the chair and released a satisfied sigh.

I swallowed everything he gave me, and then put my trench coat back on and prepared to leave.

Hawke watched me with tired eyes. “What was that about?”

I grabbed my purse and headed to the door. “Bye.”

“Whoa…what?”

“See you later, Grizzly.”

He stood up even though his pants were still undone. “Francesca, what are you doing?”

I blew him a kiss. “Enjoy the rest of your day at work.”

***

Hawke knocked before he entered my apartment. “There she is. The mysterious sucker.”

I placed the pan inside the oven. “That’s what they’re calling me these days?”

“They?” he asked. “I hope it’s just me.” He wrapped his arms around me and gave me a kiss. He wore jeans and a t-shirt.

“It is.”

“So, what was that about today?” He cradled me to his chest.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve never done something like that before.”

“I’ve gone down on you plenty of times. And I want credit for that.”

He chuckled. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.” He searched my gaze as he waited for a response.

“I just wanted to surprise you…do something adventurous.”

He nodded slowly. “While I enjoyed it and appreciated it, you don’t have to do stuff like that to keep me around. I’m thinking about you all day whether your lips are around my dick or not.”

I smiled then pressed my face into his chest.

His lips pressed a kiss to my forehead. “How was your day?”

“It was okay.”

“Ready for Saturday?”

“I’m ready to get this over with.”

“Nervous?” he asked.

“I’m not the one getting married.”

“It’s still nerve-racking,” he said.

“How’s Axel doing?”

“Fine,” he answered. “I think he wants to get married more than Marie.”

“Pussy…”

He laughed then kissed my forehead again. “I want to marry you. Does that make me a pussy?”

I looked into his eyes and searched for sincerity.

His smile faded away and he gave me a serious look, like he dared me to question his words.

“No.”

“Good. Because I’m anything but a pussy.” He kissed the corner of my mouth then peeked inside the oven. “What do we have here?”

“Stuffed mushrooms and squash raviolis.”

“Sounds good.”

“Who said anything about you joining?” I teased.

That sexy smile returned and he pulled me to his chest again. “I’m joining—whether you like it or not.”

The Rehearsal Dinner

Francesca

“This is the order.” Rodolfo lined the girls up at the altar.

I knew my place was beside Marie, so that was easy.

The girls toward the end of the line had pissed looks on their faces, and the ones closer to the center acted like they belonged there. I liked most of Marie’s friends, but honestly, some of them were just bitchy.

“Now the men.” Rodolfo was the emcee for the wedding, so it was his responsibility to make sure everything flowed well. “Hawke, you’re here.” He grabbed his t-shirt and shifted him.

Hawke didn’t like to be touched.

Then Rodolfo lined up the rest of the guys.

“Damn, he’s so gorgeous,” Cheyenne whispered to Kayla.

I knew they were talking about Hawke.

“And his arms look so good,” Kayla whispered back.

They obviously didn’t know Hawke and I were an item, and if they did, they must not think it’s very serious.

I’ll straighten that out.

“Let’s practice from the top. Go to your starting places.”

We walked back to the entryway to the ballroom and waited for the music to start. I was walking with Hawke, which was a relief. I didn’t want one of Axel’s perverted friends touching me, and I didn’t want any of Marie’s slutty friends touching Hawke.

The music started, and I walked to the center of the room, where Hawke met me. He gave me his arm, and I took it. He watched me as we slowly walked down the aisle together.

“What?” I whispered to him.

“I feel bad for Marie.”

“Why?” Did he know something I didn’t?

“You’re going to outshine her.”

My cheeks blushed, and I shook my head. “No, that’s not true.”

Hawke smiled knowingly. “Always the perfect maid of honor…”

We took our places at the end of the aisle and waited for everyone else to finish. The entire time we stood there, Hawke stared at me. He was oblivious to everyone else around him.

Axel and Marie faced each other, and that’s when I noticed something off with Axel. He wasn’t frowning, but he didn’t seem his normal self. He didn’t make a single joke all night about the honeymoon or how nice Marie’s ass would look in her dress.

It was odd.

“Are we done yet?” Shane, one of Axel’s friends, asked. “I’m starving.”

“That’s a wrap,” Rodolfo said. “Good job, everyone. We’ll see you tomorrow for the big day.”

Axel looked pale.

“Where are we eating?” Veronica asked.

“Here,” Marie said. “In the restaurant.”

“Nice,” Kayla said. “Good thing I wore a nice dress.”

Hawke moved toward me and put his arm around my waist. “Want to sit next to me?”

“Please.” I glanced over my shoulder and saw Axel looking faint. “Is Axel okay?”

“Yeah,” Hawke answered. “Why?”

“He just seems…like he’s about to pass out.”

“I’m sure everything is hitting him right now. He probably just needs a few minutes to soak it in.”

“I hope that’s it…and not food poisoning.”

“I’ll talk to him later when no one’s around.”

“Good idea.”

***

Hawke had his arm over the back of my chair the entire night. “You look beautiful tonight.” His lips were pressed to my ear, and as he talked, I could feel his lips move slightly.

“Thanks…you already said that.”

“I can’t say it more than once?” He only had eyes for me.

I knew Marie’s friends officially hated me. “You can say it as many times as you want.”

Hawke grabbed his wine and took a drink.

I glanced at Axel and noticed how quiet he was. He wasn’t talking with his groomsmen but he wasn’t talking with Marie either. Fortunately, Marie didn’t seem to notice anything was off because she was talking to her bridesmaids.

I couldn’t picture Axel leaving Marie at the alter so that was the last thing on my mind. But there was definitely something bothering him, eating him alive. Was he having second thoughts? Or did he simply drink too much the night before?

At the end of dinner, Hawke gave me a PG kiss. “I’m sorry I can’t stay with you tonight.”

“What?” I blurted. “Why aren’t you?”

“I’m going to stay with Axel. You know, keep him calm.”

I wanted to ask him to stay but that would be selfish. “That’s a good idea.”

He shrugged. “I’m the best man, right?”

“I’ll miss you.”

He seemed pleased by that response. “I’ll miss you, Muffin.” He gave me a final kiss goodnight.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him, not wanting to let him go. I would miss him more than I cared to admit, and even though it was just one night apart, it was too much for me.

Hawke allowed the affection to linger and he pressed his lips against my forehead. “I’ll be dancing with you all night tomorrow, Francesca. And I’ll dance all my dances with you forever.”

Trouble

Hawke

I wasn’t looking forward to staying with Axel. It was nothing against him personally. I just wanted to be with Francesca, to feel her small body wrapped around mine while we slept. I wanted to open my eyes and see her first thing in the morning.

I wanted her.

Axel and I walked back to my apartment. He was dead quiet, walking with his hands in his pockets.

“Everything alright, man?” I didn’t confront him directly. Instead, I tried to go about it casually so he wouldn’t feel like he was on trial.

“I’m fine.” He kept up the quick pace like he desperately needed to get inside.

“You’re sure?” I asked. “You didn’t eat spoiled meat or something?”

“No.”

There was definitely something wrong but he wasn’t sharing.

We entered my apartment and turned on the lights.

“I’ll take the sofa. You can have the bed.”

“I’m good,” he said. “I prefer the living room.”

“I washed all the bedding.” Maybe he was grossed out by the idea of Francesca and I doing it on that mattress.

“Honestly, I prefer the couch.” He took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch. Then he kicked off his shoes. When he sat down on the cushion, he released a deep sigh.

I sat beside him. “Axel, I know marriage is scary. It would scare anyone. You don’t have to shut me down. I don’t think less of you.”

Axel rested his hands on his knees. “Marriage doesn’t scare me.”

“Then what’s up?”

“Nothing.”

Why was he being such a pain in the ass? “Dude, you can tell me. I’ll take your secrets to the grave.”

He remained quiet like he was considering his answer. But then he abruptly stood up and headed to the bathroom. “I’m going to shower. Good night.”

I officially gave up.

***

I had a hard time sleeping that night, and I knew it was because Francesca wasn’t there. I missed her scent on my sheets. I missed the way she kissed me on the chest first thing in the morning. Her slender legs would wrap around my body, and she would cling to me like she needed me to survive.

Without her, I was just a man alone in a bed.

Just when I dozed off, my phone rang.

I anxiously grabbed it because I hoped it was Francesca calling to tell me she missed me. But it wasn’t her.

It was my mom.

I immediately answered it. “Mom?”

There was an unrecognizable sound in the background, like something was moving. I couldn’t make it out.

“Mom?”

Finally, her voice came to the phone. “Hawke?” She sounded distressed, like she was in danger.

“Mom, are you okay?”

“Hawke—”

The line went dead.

I listened to the dial tone as the panic kicked in. I was on the other side of the country and had no way of getting to her. The only option I had was calling the police, and of course, I would do it even if my mom didn’t like it. I ended the call then pressed 9-1-1.

My phone rang again, my mom’s name on the screen.

I answered it and shoved it against my ear. “Mom, I’m calling the cops. They’ll be there in a second.”

“The cops?” Her voice was nothing like it was before. Now she sounded calm, almost happy. It was like the previous conversation never happened. “Why would you do that?”

Was I missing something? “When you called earlier, it sounded like something was wrong. Are you okay?”

“Oh that?” She laughed into the phone. “I dropped my cell on the counter and it almost fell in the sink. So stupid of me.”

I sat up in bed and kept listening.

“I was just calling because I remembered Axel is getting married tomorrow. Are you excited?”

“Yeah.” Not really. Axel was acting strange, and I knew the wedding would be stressful.

“Good. I’m sure you’ll look handsome in your suit.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Well, I’ll let you go. I just realized how late it was there.”

Something in my gut told me to keep her on the phone. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, sweetheart.” She breathed into the phone and remained quiet. “I miss you.” Her voice was full of emotion, like her heart would give out.

“I miss you too.”

“I love you so much, Hawke. You’re the best son a mom could ask for.”

I didn’t get emotional very often but those words filled me with warmth. “I love you too, Mom.”

***

The next morning, I headed into the kitchen to make some coffee. I didn’t get any sleep last night and my eyes were practically bloodshot. I’d need some serious caffeine if I were going to get through this day.

“How do you take it?” I asked as I put on the coffee pot.

No response.

I walked to the couch and looked at the scattered blankets and the pillow that fell on the ground. “Axel?” My eyes immediately moved to the bathroom, but the door was wide open. I looked for his bag on the ground but that wasn’t there either.

Shit.

I turned to grab my phone when I noticed the note on the table.

Hawke,

Tell Marie I’m sorry.

***

Francesca answered on the first ring. “Miss me?”

I did, but there wasn’t time for that conversation. “Go somewhere where no one can hear you.”

Instead of asking questions, the phone became muffled as she moved. Then her voice came into the receiver. “What’s up?”

“Can anyone hear you?”

“I’m at the end of the hallway by the stairs. Marie is in the apartment. What’s up, Hawke?”

It was a long shot but I had to ask. “Is Axel there? Have you seen him today?”

“No… Why?”

I didn’t want to bring her into this, but I needed help. “Axel took off.”

“As in…he went out for coffee?” There was hope in her voice, but also doubt.

“No. He left, Francesca. He left a note on the table.”

Now she started to panic. “What did it say? Tell me word for word.”

“He said tell Marie I’m sorry.”

“Oh my god.” She gasped into the phone. “What the hell is he thinking?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“This is just so…unexpected. He loves Marie.”

I rubbed the back of my neck. “I knew something was bothering him last night.”

“I did too,” she said. “But I thought he just ate something bad.”

“Francesca, I don’t know what to do.”

“Did you call him?”

“His phone is off.”

“That piece of shit,” she hissed. “Hawke, you have to find him.”

“I don’t even know where to look. He might be on a plane to Tuscany for all I know.”

She sighed into the phone. “I’m not letting him do this to Marie. And I’m not letting Axel make the biggest mistake of his life.”

“Then what do we do?”

“I’ll stall Marie as much as I can while you find him.”

I rubbed my temple. “I don’t even know where to look.”

“Check all his regular places, like bars and restaurants. If he’s not there, check his office and his gym.”

“You really think he’d run out on his wedding day and hit the gym?” Now wasn’t the time to be sarcastic but I was too stressed to filter my words.

“Just check,” she snapped. “And let me know when you do.”

***

I checked every place I could think of, and like I expected, he was nowhere in sight. If I were going to run for it, I’d be on a plane somewhere beautiful. I wouldn’t stay in town and risk the possibility of being found.

We were running out of time, and the fear was turning into pure panic. I didn’t know why Axel took off, but I knew it wasn’t because he stopped loving Marie. He loved that woman more than anything on the planet. I couldn’t let him throw his relationship away. A girl could forgive a man for a lot of things, but leaving her at the alter in front of her friends and family was not one of them.

Francesca called me. “Please tell me you found him.”

I sighed in response.

“Goddammit, Axel.”

“I’m sorry. I looked everywhere.”

“Okay, what did he say to you? What was the last thing he said? Think, Hawke.”

“I told him it was okay to be scared of marriage. It’s common.”

“Why the hell would you say that?”

“Because I knew something was bothering him,” I snapped. “I was trying to make him feel better.”

“Whatever,” she said. “What did he say to that?”

“He said he wasn’t afraid of marriage then he got into the shower.”

“What?” she asked in surprise. “He said he wasn’t afraid of marriage?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re sure?”

“I know what I heard, Francesca.” Butting heads with her would get me nowhere but the frustration was getting to me.

“Now this makes even less sense.”

“I know.” I tried to think of somewhere else he would be, and I had a strong suspicion he was over the Atlantic Ocean by now. “We aren’t going to find him in time. You need to tell Marie.”

“No. We have a few hours.”

“Even if I find him, I’m going to need a few hours just to convince him he’s making a mistake. If he left Marie like this, he’s probably set in his decision.”

“Keep looking.”

“Where?” I demanded. “If his phone was on, I could have a friend trace it but that’s not an option.”

Francesca was silent on the phone. She was probably pacing in the hallway. “Marie is about to put her dress on. I can’t let her put it on then watch her take it off while she’s in tears.”

I didn’t want that for her either. “We’re out of options.”

Francesca continued pacing. “Wait…I think I have an idea.”

I already didn’t have much faith in it. “What?”

“Go to my shop.”

“Why?” I asked. “You want me to bring you some muffins?”

“No,” she hissed. “I bet Axel is hiding there, in my office.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the one place we wouldn’t look.”

I highly doubted that. “I don’t know…”

“He has a key to get inside. I bet he’s there.”

“Uh…”

“Hawke, just check. If he’s not there…then I’ll tell Marie.”

Axel better be there. Otherwise, this was going to be the worst day of Marie’s life…and Francesca’s. “Okay.”

***

I headed into the back of the shop and passed the workers. They recognized me so they didn’t question why I was there when Francesca wasn’t. If they did ask, I would say she left something behind for the cake.

I’d never been to Francesca’s office but I found it easily. The door was closed so I opened it without knocking. Unable to believe my eyes, I froze on the spot. Just as Francesca predicted, Axel was sitting in the chair behind the desk looking like hell.

He stared at me with equal surprise.

Now that I was face-to-face with him, I didn’t know what to say. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it so he couldn’t make a run for it.

Axel covered his face and sighed. “How did you find me?”

“Francesca.”

“That brat.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Axel, what the hell are you doing? You’re getting married in two hours.”

“I’m not getting married.” He lowered his hands and rested them against his lips.

“Why the hell not?” I moved to the chair facing the desk because it was clear he wasn’t going to take off. “You were so excited about it last week. Don’t get scared, Axel. You love Marie, and she loves you.”

“Of course I love her.” He stared at the surface of the table and didn’t meet my gaze.

“Then don’t let the fear scare you off. Marriage is a big commitment, but it’s a good kind of commitment. You get to spend the rest of your life with the one woman you love.” It wasn’t easy for me to spit out mushy shit like this, but I was doing it for him. “I know this is what you want. You want to be with her forever. I’ve seen you with her, Axel. Even if you never said you loved her, it’s obvious—to the world.”

“Shut up.”

My eyes narrowed on his face, and I felt my hands form fists. If he said that to me under a different circumstance, he’d have a bloody lip. But since the situation was so tense, I let it slide. “Excuse me?”

“I told you I loved her. That’s not the problem.”

“Then what the hell is?” I snapped. “What could possibly make you run out on Marie on her wedding day? You’re going to break her heart and no one will ever put it back together.”

He kept his knuckles against his lips.

“Talk to me.”

“It’s…hard to say out loud.”

I had no idea what he was referring to. What could possibly be weighing on him? If the commitment wasn’t holding him back, and love wasn’t an issue, what could it be? “It’s me, Axel. You can tell me anything.”